Oh! Foresight
by rexlux
Summary: A story about a girl that falls into Middle Earth. It will have elements from the books, the movies and the imagined. Completely AU and unbeta'd.
1. Worst Day Ever

Chapter One / Worst. Day. Ever.

My vision was blurred by tears as I ran between trees in a forest I'd never known, dried leaves and branches snapped under my feet. I tried pushing the images of what had caused me to run from my mind. Unfocused, I stumbled over an overgrown root, breaking the heel of my satin pump. It didn't stop me as I continued to barrel through not caring where I was going. It wasn't until a gnarled branch attached itself to the delicate fabric of my dress, that I lost my footing completely and fell to the ground. My hands slid into the underbrush of forest, soft mossy dirt collected in my manicured nails as I clawed at the ground in frustration. Lying there trying to catch my breath between sobs, my throat sore, tears flowed down my face, the memory of what had occurred flooded back into my mind.

_How could this have happened?_

After eight months of planning, not neglecting even the smallest detail, all dreams of my perfect day had shattered around me in just one moment. A sob escaped my lips as I remembered. I had watched in shock as my best friend gripped a chair, my fiancé thrust into her from behind, grunting like an animal. Unable to look away, like a bad dream you had no control of, all I could do was stand there and watch him as he continued to hold her hips, moving franticly against her, his face contorted in pleasure. They hadn't even noticed me standing there until I got sick all over the floor.

_It was my wedding day, dammit!_

o+o+o+o+o+o+o+

I woke up with dirt and leaves sticking to my face. For a moment I'm not sure where I am but then my stomach dropped when I took in the state of my wedding dress. The dress I had spent a month looking for and years dreaming about, now pooled around me in a twisted mess. Slowly I stood up and ran my hands over the once beautifully beaded corset now smudged with dirt, beads missing and stitching snagged. I shook out the full skirt of tulle and satin, ripped in places from my haphazard journey through the woods. My heart clenched as emotions rolled through me.

_This was supposed to be my fairytale._

I ran my hands over my face, removing small bits of debris and remaining wetness. My dark hair was still being held up by the hundreds of bobby pins the hairstylist had put in. I looked at my hands. They were brown from the dirt and some of my nails were broken. I let out a defeated sigh.

I pushed down the urge to cry, looked around and realized I had no idea where I was. The trees seemed to hover over me, blocking out the sky. It was getting dark. The hurt and anger I had been holding suddenly turned into unease as I took in my surroundings. After a few uneven steps I remembered one of my heels had broken. I bunched up my skirt until I could see my feet, reached down and pulled off my good shoe. I banged it against a nearby tree truck, trying to break off the heel, imagining for a moment I was slamming it into my fiancé's face.

A gust of wind kicked up the leaves on the ground sending goose bumps up my exposed arms. In the canopy of the forest, large limbs swayed and a faint whispering sound filled the air. Hesitantly, I smacked my shoe once more against the tree. Relief flooded me as the heel finally broke off. I put the shoe back on and started walking.

Trying to figure out which direction to go in, I heard a guttural sound from somewhere in the trees around me. I told myself to stay calm as looked around for the source, seeing nothing only made me more uneasy. I began to move but couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. _Which would be worse a crazed psychotic or a wild animal?_ Regret washed over me, instead of running through the forest it would have been safer to face the two hundred guests, deceitful fiancé and backstabbing best friend.

I jumped at the sound of a loud crack that echoed around me. My heart started beating a mile a minute. I bunched up the front of my dress, allowing my feet to move more freely. The forest had become denser and darker and it was becoming harder to make out what was in front of me.

"Don't panic," I whispered to myself, not recalling the woods next to the hotel being this big.

Another sound rang out in the darkness, it sounded like metal, followed by voices. Shouts. It must be a search party looking for me, I thought, relief flooded over me.

"I'm here!" I called out, walking quickly toward the sounds.

Suddenly the ground disappeared from beneath my feet. My body re-connected with the ground painfully as I tumbled down a hill. My wedding dress enveloped me in a mass of white as I continued my frenzied descent. My heart raced as my arms flayed about trying to grab at anything that would stop me. I slammed into something solid, knocking the breath out of me. The sound of a loud crunch filled my ears and then everything stopped.

I laid there for a moment, the tulle of my dress a tent over me as I tried to catch my breath. A groan escaped my mouth as my brain began to process the pain and soreness spreading through my body. I brought my hand up to my throbbing head. With my ears still ringing, I somehow sensed movement nearby.

"I'm over here," I managed to croak out.

The shuffling of leaves grew louder near me but I couldn't see anything through the tulle.

"My lady?" It was a man's voice.

Startled, I quickly brushed off the light fabric from my head so that I could see my rescuer. I looked around until my sights settled on a figure approaching through the darkness. He seemed hesitant as he got closer. I supposed I would be too if I came across some girl who had just fallen out of the wood wearing a wedding dress in the middle of the night.

When he was closer I noticed he was wearing a lot of leather. The only reason I noticed this was that it was bulky and it made a scrunching sound as he moved. My eyes were drawn to the image of a white horse on his leather clad chest before looking up to his face. He must have been out here a while. His face was covered in a mix of sweat and dirt. His brown eyes stared at me as if he was questioning what he was seeing.

I noticed something in his hand. What little light there was caught on a hard metal edge.

My breath caught in my throat.

_Was that a knife?!_

Panic engulfed me as I realized it wasn't a knife but a sword. A long bloodied sword. A wild animal suddenly didn't seem as bad as I scrambled to get up, my eyes not leaving the sword. My legs kicked at the dress tangled around me as I pushed back away from him.

He stopped and followed my stare down to his hand and the sword he held. Realization spread across his face and he slowly released it, letting it drop to the ground. He held up his hands showing me they were now empty. The gesture did nothing to reassure me.

A rustling nearby startled us both.

My head jerked around until I spotted more men approaching. Some wearing leather as the man crouched in front of me, others wearing some sort of metal. Some wore helmets and others had long hair and beards that made me think they were a biker gang. It wasn't until I saw the swords and spears that I really began to panic.

I would like to think sometimes that I was the type of girl that would stand tall in the face of danger and fight her way out of any situation. Instead I sat there frozen to the spot like a deer in the headlights. Then for some strange reason, thoughts of my fiancé came to me and I wondered for a moment if he regretted what had happened. Did it even matter now?

_I was gonna die out here – or worse._

Terrified of what was about to come next I just sat there and watched as the man held his hand up, signaling to the others.

"Grimbold, hold," he said without looking away from me.

I looked from him to the others and saw that the other men had stopped their approach. They looked at me with uncertainty.

"Are you injured?"

Looking back at the man in front of me I saw concern in his eyes and it eased the tension a bit. I shook my head slowly, still too afraid to speak.

The man was encouraged by this and he shuffled forward a bit. My body stiffened and he stopped at my reaction. "I mean you no harm," he said slowly and a little part of me desperately wanted to believe him. The alternative was not a comforting thought. "Where do you hail from?"

Confused by the question, I looked around at the other men. They all seemed to be waiting for my answer. I reasoned if I they were going to kill me they would have done it by now. Maybe they were a biker gang volunteer search party.

_Who carry swords and spears?_

"I'm staying at the Marquessa," I answered, naming the hotel I was staying at.

My answer seemed to puzzle him. "I know of no such place. Are you not Eorlingas?"

_Eore – what?_ "What?" I said, this time aloud.

He looked me over. I could see now that he was just as confused by me as I was of him.

"You have the dark hair of the Dunlendings but your dress is too fine I think," he said but I got the feeling he was talking more to himself.

I looked toward the other men gathered. They were looking at the man in front of me as if waiting for direction. Then it hit me as I looked over their appearance.

"Are you larping?" I asked the man in front of me. Suddenly everything started to make sense. The woods and the swords. All the tension I was holding quickly evaporated and I couldn't help a smile. "I'm sorry guys. You must think I'm part of – whatever it is you do - but I'm not."

The man stood up, still looking confused. The others whispered amongst themselves, some of the words I didn't recognize. When the last of my anxiety melted away I couldn't help but be a little impressed. I thought back to a friend who had told me about larping but I'd never actually seen it in person. As I looked at them I could tell they had done a really good job with their outfits I now recognized was armor.

The sky had started to lighten with the sunrise. _Had I been out all night?_ I couldn't help a little yawn that escaped. Wanting to get back to the hotel, find a box of band-aids and a bottle of wine, I pushed back thoughts of my fiancé. Finally off my roller coaster of emotions I wasn't ready to get back on just yet. I lifted up my dress, freed my legs and pushed myself up off the ground.

Now that I had broken the illusion some of the other men had disappeared back where they'd come from. One man came forward. He had long blonde hair and a scruffy beard. Thinking about it there seemed to be a lot of blondes in this group.

"Lord Theodred," he said, bowing his head to the man next to me. He looked at me suspiciously. I figured he must be pissed I interrupted. "My lady."

"Okay you can stop doing that now," I said, patting his arm. "It's making me a little uncomfortable."

The new guy gave me a disconcerted look then looked back to Theodred, who seemed amused. "My lord, I'm glad that you are safe," he said.

"Yes Grimbold, as am I," Theodred said. "I'm afraid I let my lust for revenge take me when I chased down that wildman. I think I would not have lived through the encounter if not for this brave maiden."

Grimbold turned to me and bowed his head. "My lady, the Riddermark owes you much."

I couldn't help but laugh. These two were really getting carried away with this. When I noticed that they weren't laughing with me I stopped. I didn't want to seem like a jerk. "Sorry," I said. "Can you guys just take me to the highway? I can find my way back from there. Oh – can I borrow a cellphone?" They looked at me again with confused expressions.

As Grimbold and Theodred whispered to each other I realized one of my shoes was missing and turned to look for it. I figured it must have fallen off during my fall.

It was then that I noticed a large form on the ground near where I had fallen. When I looked closer I realized it was a man. He wasn't wearing armor like the others and by the look of his clothes I figured he was homeless. I was about to move away and leave him to sleep when I wondered why he hadn't woken up during all the commotion.

"Hey," I said not too loudly. If he was in a deep sleep I didn't want to startle him, although after what had just happened I figured he must be a heavy sleeper. When he didn't move I stepped a little closer. I just needed a sign of breathing, movement- anything. As I tried to get a better look at his face I noticed the ground and the fallen leaves near his head were covered in blood and suddenly I became panicked.

"Oh my god, something's wrong with him!" I called out to Theodred and Grimbold. "He's bleeding! Call 9-1-1!"

Theodred and Grimbold rushed over to me as well as some of the other men alerted by my screaming.

"My lady, is everything alright?" Theodred asked, looking around for signs of trouble. Grimbold stood nearby with his sword in hand.

"He's right here," I said frantically pointing at the man on the ground. "Something's happened to him!"

Thoedred looked down at the homeless man then back up at me. Again there was the confused look on his face. "That is the wildman you killed," he said matter-of-factly.

"What?!" I screamed, looking down at the man – the very dead man. My hand went to my chest, my heart pounded against it and my breathing became difficult. "I killed him?!"

The last thing I remembered was strong hands gripping my shoulders as everything faded to black.


	2. Home of the Horse Lords

Chapter Two / Home of the Horse Lords

I was having the strangest dream. It was my wedding day and I was standing at the altar. I thought it was a little strange that I was the one waiting but before I could voice my concerns I saw blurred figures through the white of my veil. I slowly lifted the veil above my head and was met with a very peculiar site. The guests at my wedding were all horses. Nothing weird like horses in tuxes or wearing pearls, they were just horses. I turned to look at my fiancé but instead of finding a man I was met with a horse's muzzle in my face. The horse whinnied loudly at me.

I woke with a start. I heard the sounds of horses nickering and the clomping of hooves on the ground. Everything was a little fuzzy as my eyes adjusted to the light of day. My body moved in a rocking motion and it took me a moment before I realized I was actually on a horse. I looked ahead at the rolling plains before me, no signs of civilization for miles around. _Where did all this country come from?_

"Ah, you have awoken."

I jumped slightly out of the saddle and immediately felt a strong arm tighten around my waist keeping me from falling off. I turned to see Theodred sitting behind me. I promptly remembered the events of the night. "Where am I?" I asked looking around. There were more men than I had realized, all clad in amour and all on horses. I saw Grimbold riding not far away, he saw I was awake and nodded his head at me. I looked at the riders further down the line, one held a banner with a white horse on a field of green that flapped in the breeze above him.

"My lady, this is the Riddermark," Theodred said. "Perhaps you know it as Rohan."

_Rohan?_

I tried piecing things together slowly. They were obviously role-playing Lord of the Rings. I took another look at all the men on horses. These guys were playing on a scale like one of those civil war re-enactments. I then remembered the dead man I had found, the one I supposedly had killed, was that all part of the game too, I wondered. "What happened to that man? Where did all these horses come from?" I asked.

"That wildman was of Dunland. I had separated myself from my men when I pursed him. Unfortunately he managed to gain the advantage but then by Bema's good fortune you killed him when you came upon us from the hill," Theodred explained. I nodded my head at his explanation even though none of it made sense to me. "You ask of the horses. These horses are our trusted mounts. My horse is named Brego. Do you not have horses where you are from?"

"I don't personally own a horse," I said, at the same time a horn was heard in the distance, it was a long deep blast. It was then answered by a horn from one of Theodred's riders.

The other riders seemed to close in more closely around Theodred and myself. I looked out toward where I thought the sound had come from. After a moment the shapes of more horses crested a hill in the distance.

I felt Theodred sit up straighter behind me. "Eomer's eored," he stated.

_Eomer?_

As the other group got closer I was amazed by the number of riders there were, easily over hundred men between the two groups. A man wearing leather armour over chainmail and a helmet with a plume of long white hair that looked like a horse's tail broke away from the group and rode toward us. This must be the guy playing Eomer, I thought. He certainly looked the part.

Theodred dismounted and walked in the direction of the oncoming Eomer. Not feeling comfortable on the horse by myself I tried to climb off but somehow I instead managed to spook Brego and he suddenly took off at a gallop. Everything happened so fast I was barely able to let out a scream, holding on to the saddle for dear life.

Brego seemed in a hurry to get somewhere and didn't look to be stopping anytime soon. I felt a pair of hands grab me and I struggled against them not wanting to fall. "Release the saddle!" I heard someone yell but I was so frightened that I didn't listen. My dress tangled around my legs and soon I felt myself falling away from the horse, pulling on the hands that were grabbing me.

When I finally hit the ground I had expected more pain but strong arms had wrapped around me, padding my fall. We rolled on the ground before finally coming to a stop.

When I opened my eyes I found a pair of hazel eyes looking down at me. The man on top of me had a handsome bearded face. His golden hair surrounded us like a curtain. For a moment I lay there in his embrace unable to look away. He smelled a mixture of sweat, grass, leather and horse, all very manly smells and the total opposite of my fiancé, who usually smelled of flowery shampoo.

"I must be dreaming," I said, not aware I had spoken out loud, my heart still racing from the fall.

"This is no dream," the man said. His intense eyes looked over my face sending a fluttering feeling through my stomach.

I heard Theodred chuckle above us. The man above me seemed to realize the position we were in and pulled his arms out from underneath me. He wasn't real smooth about it and I found my face turned into the dirt.

I pushed myself up into a sitting position. "Hey!" I said, indignantly wiping dirt from my face. Theodred offered me a hand and helped me up to my feet.

"Are you injured?" Theodred asked, looking concerned.

I shook my head then looked at the other man. "He almost killed me!" I said, pointing.

"You were attempting escape," he said.

"She is no prisoner, Eomer," Theodred said. "This woman saved my life."

Eomer looked skeptical. "Intentionally?"

If I had thought this pretend Eomer was good looking before my opinion was quickly changing.

Theodred, Eomer and Grimbold had a little private conversation while I stood looking around. There was nothing around us but fields. I didn't even know an area with so much open space existed. I was hungry and starting to feel a little cranky.

After their meeting Theodred and Eomer walked over to me while Grimbold went to talk to other riders. Theodred wore a warm smile and Eomer looked cross at me.

I took a breath. "Let me guess. We're going to Edoras where I'll meet King Theoden," I said then looked at Eomer. "And you're sister, Eowyn, right?"

"How do you know of Eowyn? We have never met. I am certain I would remember meeting if we had," Eomer said. I could see the distrust in his eyes.

This was getting a little silly, I thought to myself. It was role-playing on a whole new level. "Well, let's get going then," I said, thinking maybe if I played along we could just get to the end. I would just keep a lookout for the next strip mall.

I was a more than a little reluctant to get on a horse again but it was obviously the only mode of transportation with these guys. I walked over to a horse to try and get things moving. The horse whinnied, startling me.

_Okay maybe I'll walk. _

Eomer walked over and took the horses reigns. "Easy Firefoot," he said to the horse, stroking its muzzle. He looked at me. "He will not harm you."

I held out my hand to touch the horse's nose, I was very hesitant to get close. The horsed let out a huff and then nudged my hand with its nose.

"Okay, nice horsey," I said, cautiously petting him. Firefoot seemed to take this as some kind of sign and proceeded to nudge his head harder against my hand, then moved to my shoulder, then my chest. Harder each time until I lost my footing and fell to the ground from his persistent shoves.

"What the f Firefoot?!" I cried out. The horse just whinnied at me and Eomer smirked. As I pushed myself up off the ground I felt hot breath on the top of my head. Firefoot began nuzzling my head, which I thought was kind of cute, like he was apologizing but then the nuzzling turned into nibbling and I quickly realized what the steed was doing. "He's eating my hair!" I screamed.

"_Astyntan_, Firefoot!" Eomer said, pulling Firefoot off me. I patted down what felt like a rat's nest on top of my head down.

Theodred came over already astride his horse. "Ride with me and Brego, my lady," he said and held out his hand. I stared at it for a moment and thought of that saying, get back on the horse. Whoever coined it didn't have Brego and Firefoot in mind, I thought, as I reluctantly took Theodred's hand and lifted up onto the saddle.

I shifted in front of Theodred until I was sitting comfortably. "My name is Molly," I said. "I know you're trying to stay in character but you should probably know my name."

"Well met….Molly," Theodred said.

"Yeah, uh, well met," I said. "So how far are you into the War of the Ring?"

"We know nothing of a ring," Theodred said. "We fight orcs and bands of Dunlendings at our borders but most troublesome are the stirrings in Isenguard."

_Isenguard?_ It had been a while since I'd read the story of Lord of the Rings. I wondered where the guy was that was playing Aragorn. I hope these guys didn't expect me to get in character. As we rode along I got the sense that someone was staring at me and I turned to see Eomer, on the hair eating Firefoot, riding alongside Grimbold. Grimbold was telling him something in hushed tones so I couldn't make out what was being said but by the look on Eomer's face I could tell Grimbold was probably complaining about me.

_What a baby._


	3. Edoras or Bust

Chapter Three / Edoras or Bust

Things were not adding up. We had been traveling for several hours and there were still no signs of the town or roads of any kind. There were however two things I was certain about, my butt was numb and my back was killing me. Riding side saddle was not the best way to ride a horse I was quickly learning and my dress wasn't helping. I couldn't wait to get the thing off.

I tried to get comfortable or at least get some feeling in my rear. Theodred noticed. "Would you like us to stop?" he asked.

Theodred and I hadn't spoken much the last hour or so during the ride. It became clear to me that these guys were going to do their best to stay in character when I had asked to stop at the nearest restroom. After they embarrassingly made me explain to them what a bathroom was I ended up behind a bush. They had all been very chivalrous about it. The entire group of riders waited at least a hundred feet away. Grimbold had even offered to put up a tent but I brushed off that ridiculous idea. After that I decided to just keep quiet and go with the flow.

My thoughts had drifted to my fiancé and I started to get a little mad that a search party hadn't been called. _Shouldn't there be a helicopter flying around?_ Maybe he hadn't even told anyone. With both my parents gone I really had no family besides him and knowing him he probably told everyone that I ran out. I couldn't count on my best friend after all and that thought saddened me quite a bit. _How pathetic was I?_ I had been one of those silly girls that had pushed away all her friends for her boyfriend. I couldn't even remember the last time I had gone out to a movie or lunch with a friend of my own. The more I thought about it the more depressed I became.

Theodred hadn't really asked me anything, maybe he didn't want to intrude. I guessed it must have been pretty obvious what had happened. I was in a wedding dress they had probably all put two and two together. There were times during the ride that I would catch Eomer staring at me. He didn't look away like you'd expect someone to do when they've been caught staring. Instead he nodded his head as if showing me that he was watching me. It made me a little self conscious.

"Molly?" Theodred said, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, sorry," I said, looking back at him. "I'm fine. Just thinking. How much further is it?"

"It will not be much longer," he said with a smile. Looking at Theodred I saw now that he was very good looking. Unlike Eomer and Grimbold he was clean shaven. His hair was long, longer than Eomer's, I wondered if it was a wig.

Eomer rode up next to us and Firefoot pushed his muzzle into my leg. I kicked lightly at the inside of my dress to scare him away. Eomer gave me a disapproving look and pulled Firefoot away. Theodred laughed.

"I think he is taken with you," Theodred said.

"Really? Cause he's been giving me the stink eye this entire ride," I said, looking at Eomer who was riding toward another rider. I was kind of relieved that I wasn't the only one who had noticed the stares. "He acts like I'm about to break up the band."

Theodred chuckled. "I was speaking of Firefoot."

My face flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, well…" I stammered. "He's just a crazy horse."

Theodred laughed out loud. "Don't let Eomer hear you speak of Firefoot in such a way, my lady. He will most assuredly give you, what did you call it, the stink eye?"

By the time the horns sounded I had no feeling in my butt.

I heard someone yell out 'Edoras' and this seemed to perk up the riders. "Finally," I muttered under my breath.

We had entered a valley and ahead of us I could make out a town that was built around a hill. It looked like a fort with a wall surrounding it. At the top of the hill situated above the smaller structures was a large building. I guessed it must be a church with its golden roof that shined in the sun. Another thing that had become obvious as we got closer was that there were no power lines, or cars, or roads. It was in the middle of nowhere.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Edoras," he replied.

I turned to Theodred. "No more playing around, Theodred," I said, getting a little irritated. "People are worried about me. I need to call and let them know I'm okay."

"We will go before my father, Theoden King," Theodred said. "You may not travel the lands of Rohan without his consent."

"Look, I don't need to see Theoden… or Grima Wormtongue for that matter," I said, agitated. Theoden seemed taken back. "I just need to get to a phone, dammit."

"Is there a problem?" Eomer asked, alarmed. I hadn't noticed him approach. He looked between Theodred and me. "Theodred?"

I looked at Theodred, trying to read his expression. It was a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

"How do you know of Wormtongue?" he finally asked.

"What?"

"How do you know of Grima? You claimed no knowledge of the Riddermark yet you know of the king's advisor as well as my cousin's sister," Theodred said, his words coming out slowly as if he was still processing what he was saying. "Who sent you?"

Eomer brought Firefoot to a halt next us. "A spy?!" he said, his eyes boring into me. He had obviously heard our entire conversation.

"Look I know you don't want me here," I said, directing my frustrations at Eomer. "Believe me I have bigger issues to deal with than getting in the middle of your male bonding weekend. I'm just looking to get home. I haven't showered in two days and I smell like horse. Just point me to the nearest phone and I'll call for someone to pick me up."

"You speak of things we know nothing of," Eomer said. "What devilry is this? What is this phone you speak of? Is this where you are from?"

"Seriously?" I said amazed at how far these guys were willing to take this whole act.

The rest of the riders had brought their own horses to a stop, not sure what was going on. Grimbold trotted over on his horse looking nervous.

"My lord?" he said. "The men are anxious to return home."

Theodred nodded. "Yes, of course, Grimbold," he said and clicked his tongue signaling for Brego to start moving. He looked at me. "I do not believe you a spy, Molly, but I cannot allow a woman alone to wander the Mark freely. These are dangerous times. Speak with my father, we will see to your comfort."

When we got to the wooden gate of the outer palisade I couldn't help but be amazed at how authentic it all was. _Why had I never heard of this place?_ We passed between two tall towers with men standing guard at the top.

"Are we on a movie set?" I asked, turning to look at Theodred.

He looked puzzled. "You ask the strangest things, my lady," he answered.

I rolled my eyes at him then turned to look ahead as we rode up a path through the town. People gathered to greet the riders and it wasn't long before I realized all eyes were on me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable and wished I had my veil to cover my face.

By the time we reached the stables I began questioning what I was seeing all around me. Everything seemed so real. Theodred introduced me to the stable master, Welsig, who helped me dismount Brego. My legs gave out a little as my feet touched the ground and Welsig steadied me until Theodred dismounted and came over to help.

Welsig was an older stocky man with a dirty grey beard. "M' lady," he said nodding to me before taking Brego's reigns. He looked at Theodred and smiled, genuinely happy to see him. "M'lord, it is good to see you and lord Eomer."

"Welsig, it is good to see you as well," Theodred said. "My I introduce lady Molly."

I gave him a little wave and he looked at me confused by the gesture. "She is from a distant land." Theodred explained.

"I see," Welsig said. "I will not keep you, m'lord. You must be eager to see your father."

"Aye, that I am, Welsig," Theodred said. He turned to me and held out his arm. "My lady."

I let Theodred lead me out of the stables as men and horses moved around us. I noticed Eomer join us along with Grimbold as we began to make the climb up a gently sloped path. When we reached a set of wide wooden stairs built into the hill I stopped and looked up. We were walking toward the large structure I had seen from the distance. I'm not sure why but I began to feel hesitant and a little uneasy as I looked up at the golden roof.

"Molly?" I heard Theodred's concerned voice.

"Theodred, that's Meduseld," I said, disbelieving. I turned around unsure of what I expected to see. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the view. For miles around all I could see were grassy plains and below us the town with its people busily moving about. Nothing about the landscape looked familiar but I felt like I knew it.

I turned back around to face Theodred, Eomer and Grimbold, all giving me questioning looks. I considered them for a moment. "You're real," I said finally.

"Perhaps we should take her to the healer first, cousin," Eomer said impatiently.

I ignored Eomer and looked at Theodred. "I'm not sure I want to go in," I said.

"Do not fear, my lord is a just king," Theodred said taking my elbow in his hand and guided me forward. "I will not leave your side."

Again, I let Theodred lead me further up the stairs until we reached the large doors of Meduseld. Standing guard were two men. Another man with shaggy red hair and a beard to match stepped forward and bowed. "My lord Theodred, my lord Eomer," he said.

"Hama," Theodred greeted, placing the hand that wasn't holding my arm on the other's shoulder. "How fares the Golden Hall?"

"All is well, my lord," Hama said, motioning for the other men to open the doors. "Theoden King shall be heartened to see you."

The doors opened and I was led in. I was literally floored by what I saw once we were inside. We entered a large hall and I was instantly surprised by the large fire pit. I couldn't help thinking they must be breaking a lot of fire codes with something like that. As we continued I took in the large tapestries depicting scenes of horses and men covering the walls. Everything was amazingly detailed and I couldn't help but be awed by what I saw.

"This place is amazing," I whispered. Theodred looked at me and smiled, obviously pleased with my reaction.

At the end of the hall was, what I assumed to be, the throne on top of a dais. It was empty.

"Remain here," Theodred said before leaving through a door on the side of the dais.

I looked up at the exposed wooden beams that held up the straw roof above me. It reminded of things I'd only seen in pictures. I turned following the line of a beam and bumped into Eomer, who I had forgotten, was still there.

"Sorry," I said.

"There was no harm," he said indifferently.

It was another five minutes before Theodred emerged from the door he had gone through. He walked over to stand next to me. Three people entered and I instantly recognized them as King Theoden being helped by Eowyn. Last to enter the hall was Grima Wormtongue. I couldn't help the gasp that escaped my lips at seeing the man with pale sallow skin dressed in black robes adorned with crow feathers. I couldn't tear my eyes from him and he noticed. His eyes narrowed at me.

"Who is this you've brought before us, Theodred?" he asked taking his place next to Theoden, who had taken his seat on the throne with the help of Eowyn.

Theodred ignored Grima and looked directly at Theoden. "My lord, I present Lady Molly. It is by her doing that I stand before you, alive and well." This caught everyone's attention.

Theoden looked at me with tired eyes and offered me a small smile. "Well then, we owe you much, my lady," he said. "You are indeed an honored guest here in the Golden Hall. My son, Theodred, has told me of your wish to return to your land but is unclear as to where that may be. Perhaps you could shed some light on this."

My throat was suddenly dry. I knew at that moment I was actually standing in front of the king of Rohan, his son Theodred beside me and Eomer next to him. I looked at the woman I knew was Eowyn, standing next to the king. Her blue eyes wide with wonder as she watched me. She was as beautiful as I had always imagined her to be, her golden hair long and loose down her back. I looked then at Grima hunched on the other side of the king. He watched me warily. It was obvious he was trying to make me out, deciding if I was a threat.

"My lady, you should speak," Theodred said next to me.

"Perhaps she has injured her head?" Eowyn offered.

Yes, maybe that was it, I thought. Some sort of amnesia…no of course that wasn't right. I remembered my life. My job. My friends. My wedding. _Maybe I was dead._ A chill ran down my spine. I'm dead and stuck in some limbo Tolkien world. I did always like Lord of the Rings back when I went through a serious fantasy stage but that had been a long time ago before I had met _him_ -

"Are you alright?" Theodred asked, concerned. "You are quite pale, Molly."

"I don't think I can go home." I'm not sure why I said them but those were the words that came out.

Theoden considered me for a moment. "Then you shall remain here."


	4. Hay and Pay Dirt

Chapter Four / Hay and Pay Dirt

After two days of panic attacks I had come to accept my odd predicament. I reasoned that with no Gandalf and no all knowing elves I wouldn't be able to leave Middle Earth and return home. I wasn't about to walk over to Isenguard to have a conversation with Saruman, no that was out of the question. So I decided my best option was to wait it out in Edoras until the Fellowship showed up. How long that would be, I had no clue.

Eowyn had been very patient with me but then on the third day she subtly suggested I might want to find work, but finding a job for me in Meduseld turned out to be a lot harder than I'd thought it would be. I was a girl with a Liberal Arts degree so you'd think I'd be able to handle anything but just like in my _real_ world my degree wasn't getting me anywhere. I was a little surprised that I had even been expected to get a job but it seemed that payment for saving Theodred's life only got me a foot in the door. I was, however, allowed a huge amount of leeway being a personal friend of the prince's.

Now a week had passed and I still hadn't found a place to fit in, not that I hadn't been trying. They started me out in the kitchens which quickly reminded of the reasons why I never tried waitressing. I seemed to have dropped more food than served. It wasn't long before I was moved into the actual kitchen where I tried my hand at a few different stations but I had never been good in the kitchen and after a day the cook had chased me out. I flat out refused to do laundry. I asked about being Eowyn's handmaid but that just got me a dirty look from the woman who actually was Eowyn's handmaid. Instead I was woken up early the following morning and given a mop and bucket. After that excruciating job, I was shown to a room where I was expected to clean out a chamber pot. That was when I promptly found myself walking out of the Golden Hall.

Standing on the steps that led down into town, I still couldn't believe I was really in Edoras. Looking out over the horizon I noticed the mountains in the far off distance and wondered if those were the Misty Mountains. Would everything I knew about Middle Earth be out there beyond what I could see from this hill?

I spent the afternoon wandering the dirt roads of Edoras. It was a nice day so I didn't mind being outside. The sun was bright overhead and I tried to remember the last time I was able to enjoy its warmth. I wore a long tattered dress that had been given to me. Fashion obviously wasn't priority here but the vain part of me couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious. I walked through a small market and paused at a couple of stalls to browse. A few cute knick knacks caught my eye but when I went to grab my wallet I remembered it wasn't there. All I had was an apple I had taken at breakfast. I looked down at my dress again and wondered how I was ever going to be able to afford to buy anything. I needed my own things not just hand me downs. Good thing Theoden provided my food and shelter or I might have been Edoras' first homeless person.

Feeling a little dejected I made my way back toward the Golden Hall. I was thinking about what job was the least worst when I spotted Eomer walking Firefoot toward the stables. He was easy to spot. Even among the tall men he had stood even taller.

"Hey! Eomer!" I called out, smiling and waving at him. I got a few odd stares but didn't pay any mind and walked over to him. I didn't know Eomer that well, even in the stories there wasn't much I knew accept the he was a really good horseman and warrior. Normally I wouldn't force myself into the company of someone I'd only just met but at that moment it had made me happy just seeing a familiar face.

I obviously didn't have the same effect on Eomer.

He nodded his head. "Lady Molly," he said stiffly.

We stood in front of each other and I suddenly wondered why I had even called out to him. As I thought about it I realized this was the first time we'd spoken to each other without Theodred present. I suddenly felt some weird pressure to make sure this chance meeting didn't end badly. "Eomer," I said lamely. "I uh…I was just taking in the sights. Did you know that there's a man with an arrow in his knee?" There was no response from Eomer so I continued on feeling even more awkward. "Well I can't remember the last time I got to spend time outdoors, usually I'm inside all day and when I get out of work it's already dark…" I was totally babbling. Eomer's expressionless face didn't help ease my discomfort so I looked to the horse for sympathy. "Hi Firefoot!" I reached out and petted Firefoot's nose giving myself something to do besides talk. It was a good distraction and Firefoot seemed to enjoy it.

"That man's name is Ulren," Eomer said. The sound of his deep voice started me since I hadn't expected him to actually say anything and I was a little caught up in petting Firefoot. I looked up at him and saw a hint of a smile, or it could have been indigestion. It was a little hard to tell. "I am glad you are enjoying Edoras." Maybe he was softening up to me.

"Oh. I am. Well I'm still trying to find a job," I said, reaching into my dress pocket. I pulled out the small apple. Firefoot stared at me with his one beady horse eye. I raised my shoulders up. "What?"

Firefoot raised his nose toward the apple in my hand.

"Oh, fine," I said caving in. I held the apple out and Firefoot quickly took it, along with a couple of my fingers. "Ah! My fingers!" I quickly pulled my hand away.

Eomer surprised me when he moved towards me, his tall frame dwarfing mine. He took my hand in his. "You should be more careful when feeding a horse," he stated. Caught off guard by the surprisingly gentle way he checked each finger on my hand, I silently nodded. "There appears to be no injury."

"Lord Eomer," Welsig said, emerging from the stables. He nodded to me as he reached for Firefoot's reigns. "Still spoiling this horse of yours I see."

Eomer released my hand. "That would be lady Molly's doing, Welsig," he said.

Welsig looked at me curiously and smiled. "I see….well I'll just take him out to the paddock then," he said.

Welsig lead Firefoot away leaving me and Eomer in an awkward silence. It's my nature to try and fill uncomfortable silence with the first words that come to my mind but luckily before I could say something completely random Eomer turned to me.

"I am expected in the hall," he said, slightly bowing his head to me, and then he promptly left.

Once he was out of sight I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

"Forgive me, lady, I could not help overhearing -"

Startled, I jumped at the sound of Welsig's voice behind me. "Welsig," I said, putting my hand over my heart. "You scared the bejesus out of me!"

I noticed him smirk under his grey beard. "Apologies," he said.

I raised my hand. "It's okay. I'm good," I said, setting down. "So, why were you listening in on me and Eomer?"

He suddenly looked insulted. "Eh, it was not intentional," he said and then just as quickly looked coy. "I will say it has been a while since a new face has been seen around here, especially a pretty one."

_Was this old man flirting with me?_ It really didn't matter to me if he was or wasn't, Welsig was definitely giving me a much needed ego boost and he'd never seen me in nice clothes or make-up, so he got extra points for that. Too bad he was old with a long dirty grey beard. I wondered if Eomer thought I was pretty.

Welsig cleared his throat to get my attention. "I see you have a way with Firefoot,' he continued and I got the feeling the earlier compliment may have just been his way of buttering me up for something. "With the stirrings along the borders a lot of my stable hands have left to join eoreds. If you seek work than you should work for me."

So I started helping Welsig in the stables. First Eowyn and Theodred both were against it but I managed to get them to come around to the idea. Welsig was patient with me, showing me how to groom and handle the horses. He even provided me with some trousers to wear, making me feel a little fashion forward among the other women in Edoras. Too bad they were a poop brown color and so baggy I had to find a rope to use as a belt. Still, victory for women's lib – yay.

One day after I had returned to the Golden Hall from a day at the stables Eowyn came to sit next to me during supper. With Theodred out with his eored and Eomer in some place called Aldburg, she was looking for someone to talk to, or she could have just felt sorry for me. Noticing no one else sitting at the table she made the recommendation that I should probably bathe before coming to eat. She was kind of blunt like that.

It was nice having a girl friend again. Eowyn and I would sit by the fire in the hall after the last meal and talked. I would tell her about some gossip I had overheard in the stables, Welsig had been right about it being easy to do, and Eowyn would ask me questions about my home. I was pretty vague cuz most of it, I will admit, was pretty boring and a lot of the latter stuff, mostly involving my ex, I was embarrassed of. I could tell Eowyn knew I was holding back but she never pushed me for more information, which I appreciated.

I was in my room struggling with a comb that was caught in my hair when there was a knock on my door. Frustrated, I left the comb to dangle in my hair. I got up and opened the door to find Eowyn waiting.

"Ugh, my hair is a hot mess," I said, motioning to my hair. It had become more unruly since starting my job in the stables. It hadn't helped that I had been growing it out for my wedding and now it was down my back. Why hadn't conditioner been invented?

The expression may not have made sense to Eowyn but she understood its meaning. She gave me a sympathetic look before turning me around and moving me toward the bed. I sat down and she sat next to me. She took the comb in her hand and began pulling it through my hair.

"Ow..ow…oww, that hurts," I cried, tears stung my eyes.

Eowyn sighed and then started on another section of hair. "Your hair is like this due to the stables," she said calmly, not affected at all by my complaining. "All that dirt and hay, you will never clean it all out."

As Eowyn yanked out what felt like half the hair on my head, I thought about how she was right. This was the longest I'd ever let my hair grow and while I had been proud of being able to grow it out so long I wasn't attached to it in any way. The fact was I worked in the stables and unless I wanted to smell like Welsig all the time for the foreseeable future I needed to do something drastic.

Acting on impulse I stood up from the bed and walked over to the dresser in my room. I opened the top drawer and pulled out a small dagger Welsig had given me, it was a tool of the trade. I then gathered up a handful of hair and began to cut, moving the dagger back and forth.

Eowyn gasped. "Molly!"

I immediately regretted my action as I felt my hand fall away with a fistful of hair. I cursed my impractical impulses. By the look on Eowyn's face I knew it was bad.

Eowyn held out her hand. "Mollly, give me the dagger," she said. "Before you do more harm."

"That bad?" I asked, panic spreading over me. I held the blade out to her and she immediately grabbed it out of my hand.

It was then that Theodred walked by and with the door open he could see us inside. His eyes immediately fell to the dagger in Eowyn's hand. It must have been a strange sight, me standing there with a look of utter terror on my face with Eowyn holding a dagger in front of me.

Theodred took one careful step into the room. "Eowyn, what grievance do you have against Molly?" he asked.

I stood there, the left side of my hair lopped off while the right was frizzy and tangled. I held up the handful of hair in my hand, giving him a nervous smile. "I cut my hair."

"So it seems," he said, understanding. "It would appear you are not yet finished?"

One thing about Theodred, he was a pretty sensitive guy. Not once did he say anything contrary and when Eowyn asked him for his dagger, he dutifully supplied it.

Not missing a beat Eowyn had me sitting down in a chair she had Theodred pull over from the wall and began cutting.

An hour had passed by the time she had stopped working. Theodred had gone off to get us something to eat. I heard Eowyn let out a long sigh as she stepped away from me. She folded her arms in front of her chest as she appraised her work.

"I believe I have made the best out of it," she said. "You should look."

I brought my hand to my hair. It was definitely short, stopping a little below my chin. I stood up and walked over to the gilded mirror that hung on the wall. What I saw stunned me.

Eowyn had actually done a surprisingly good job, considering she had only a dagger to use. She had basically given me a shaggy bob. The ends were a little uneven but it was hard to tell with my wavy hair. Without all the weight it was bouncier. I tested it with a little shake. Now if only I could get my hands on some foundation, eye liner, mascara and a little bit of lipstick I would be all kinds of sexy, instead I would have to settle for looking like a twelve year-old.

We heard someone clear their throat and turned around to see Theodred standing in the doorway holding a tray of fruit.

"Ladies," he said nodding his head. He looked at my hair and smiled. "I must say I am impressed, Eowyn."

Eowyn gave him a modest smile.

If that wasn't confirmation Eowyn was the greatest hairstylist in Middle Earth I don't know what was. I looked to Eowyn and surprised her with a hug.

"Thank you so much, Eowyn," I said suddenly emotional. "This could have been so much worse. You are the best friend anyone could ask for."

"I am glad to be your friend, Molly," she said chuckling.

Life in Edoras was great.


	5. Dance and Be Merry or Not

Chapter Five / Dance and Be Merry….or Not

It had been a hot summery day and the ceremony had been lovely. When the marriage rights were read to a young Rohirrim captain and a fresh faced maiden I had cried, more from my sudden feelings of loneliness than for any happiness I might have felt for the young couple. It had been the first wedding I'd been to since – well since my almost one. I thought of my ex-fiance and my other life, something I had only done fleetingly during my time in Edoras.

Looking back I could now see things differently. The signs of imminent relationship meltdown had all been there, the disconnection, the constant bickering. I couldn't even remember the last time intimacy hadn't been initiated on my part. I was a little confused with myself. I had thought I was over it – over him. But then I realized I might be over him but I wasn't over the idea of him. Now I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever find someone or if I would just be alone for the rest of my life, or whatever life this was.

Everyone in Edoras had gathered around the couple on the steps of Meduseld. The King spoke a few words before Thoedred stepped forward and congratulated the captain and his new bride.

Maybe it was due to my heightened state of loneliness but I suddenly became aware of all the attractive Rohirrim men. Having only seen them in armor or rough cloth covered in three layers of dust I was surprised to find they all cleaned up well. Even Grimbold's weathered face seemed handsome with his hair tied back. Not that I would ever think to hook up with Grimbold.

When the celebration had moved inside the Golden Hall I took a seat at one of the tables that lined the perimeter of the massive chamber and happily observed. A half filled mug of ale sat on the table, my third – or maybe fourth- of the evening. I sat contented, watching the dancing and merriment taking place before me.

"You have been watching my brother."

I was startled by Eowyn's teasing voice but quickly composed myself.

I looked up to see my closest friend in Middle Earth looking down at me with a knowing smile.

"I haven't been watching him," I countered quickly. "I was just watching the dancing and Eomer just happened to be there. I didn't even notice he was there until you pointed him out just now. You know you Eorlingas all look the same from a distance." I didn't doubt Eowyn saw right through me.

The fact was, though I would never admit it to her, that I had actually had been watching her brother and for quite some time now.

It didn't help that Eomer always stuck out from the other men around him. He was taller and broader even without his armor, which I realized I had never seen him without. His hair was freshly washed and laid in golden waves reaching just past his shoulders. He wore a loose tunic with a belt cinched around his waist. The look wasn't that much different from the other men but there was just something about him that affected me more.

Before today it had been weeks since I'd seen him. I knew his home was in Aldburg and as a Marshal of the Mark, like Theodred, he was constantly riding around Rohan for the king.

It wasn't like I'd set out to watch him but when I first caught sight of him I was intrigued by how relaxed he was, just hanging out with the other men - laughing. Honestly laughing. I was a little shocked when I'd first seen it. It was a vast contrast to the usually rigid figure I was use to seeing.

Earlier that day we had bumped into each other in the stables when he had first arrived. There he had mistaken me for a boy. When he realized it was me, a woman with a fashionable haircut, he had apologized. I, of course, laughed it off awkwardly. After that, I attended Firefoot and he went off to report to King Theoden. The whole encounter took place in less than five minutes but had my heart racing as if I'd been doing Zumba for an hour.

I soon realized however, as I sat there observing, I was not the only woman interested in the riddle that was Eomer, son of Eomund. One maiden after another would draw his attention, whether to whisper intimately in his ear or pull him out to dance in the middle of the hall. A smiling, yes smiling- another shock to my system, Eomer was happy to oblige them in whatever coy request they made of him. The entire scene caused a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Eomer is a very good dancer. Perhaps you might tempt him."

I shifted uncomfortably on the bench. An uneasy feeling washed over me at the thought of trying to tempt anyone. Hadn't I just resigned myself to the idea I'd be alone for the rest of my life? The idea of even dating seemed so far out of reach. Did they even date here?

I made a very unladylike sound then. I snorted. I knew I wasn't ugly but I also wasn't some breathtaking beauty. At best I'd like to be considered pretty but the reality was I was pretty plain.

"Eowyn, I hardly think I'm tempting," I said.

Eowyn gave me a curious look. "Surely, you jest. Have you not noticed the gazes you attract?"

"Sure, because I stick out like a sore thumb." My gaze shifted to Eomer.

As if I'd called out to him, Eomer turned and looked directly at me.

Panicked, I grabbed my mug and gulped down the remaining ale. A small burp escaped my lips. I quickly covered my mouth. "'scuse me."

Eowyn gave an exasperated sigh. "Come walk with me, Molly,"

"Eowyn, I don't know what you're on about," I said, placing the mug back on the table. As much as I wanted to I didn't dare look back in the direction Eomer was in. "I might just go back to my room, actually."

Eowyn was having none of it. She grabbed my arm and eased me up from my seat on the bench.

"Eowyn!" I protested.

But my objection went unheard as Eowyn led me away from my table and out into the throng. Arm and arm we walked, returning smiles and greetings. I self-consciously smoothed out the soft burgundy-colored fabric of my dress. It was one Eowyn had loaned me insisting the color suited my own coloring. I'll admit, it did feel nice wearing something soft and pretty.

A cute little girl wearing a long braid with flowers in her hands approached us and stopped us in our tracks. But instead of addressing Eowyn, who I thought was her target, she looked up at me.

"Hullo," she said in her small voice.

I knelt down in front of her, practically sitting on the floor. I was a softie for children and she was just too cute. There had been a point not long ago when I had dreamed of having a child. "Why hi there yourself," I said, ignoring the tightening in my throat.

She giggled. "I like your hair," she said.

My hand instantly went to my short dark hair, which now felt much softer and healthier since Eowyn had cut it.

"Thanks," I replied.

Other children popped up out of nowhere, all blonde and rosy cheeked. I soon found myself surrounded.

A round faced boy stepped forward boldly. He obviously knew what it was to be one of the Rohirrim.

"Are you an elf?"

That took me by surprise. I had completely forgotten elves lived here, that there were entire realms filled with them. I suddenly thought of Elrond in Rivendell. Beautiful, tall, lithe and strong is what I imagined would describe an elf.

Clearly these children had never seen an elf before.

I looked to Eowyn standing nearby, her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

Then I became acutely aware that we had attracted a crowd and it felt like the entire hall was focused on me and these children. I saw King Thoeden watching curiously and Theodred, an amused look on his face, standing next to him.

My gaze then locked with Eomer's. He stood next to Theodred, his eyes fixed on me intently. The corners of his mouth were upturned slightly and I realized he was amused. It was so subtle that you might not notice but I did notice. I was making him smile. I felt a sense of accomplishment as if I'd won some long race. He lifted his brow slightly as if reading my thoughts and I could swear it was the sexist thing I'd ever seen. I suddenly felt hot all over and quickly looked away before I spontaneously combust under his gaze.

I focused my attention back on the young boy still standing there waiting for an answer.

I cleared my throat. "An elf?" I repeated. The boy nodded his head. He looked so eager that I couldn't help myself. I leaned toward him conspiratorially. "Well you tell me." I lifted my hand to the side of my head and slowly, so teasingly slow that the boy's eyes widened with anticipation. I moved my hair back revealing a very ordinary ear. The room seemed to let out a collective sigh and with their curiosity sated they went back to their drinking and dancing.

I looked up at Eowyn, confused. "Did they really think I was an elf?"

Eowyn shrugged her shoulder. "It was a rumor."

Before I could decide if I should be flattered or upset the little girl with the flowers walked over to me and placed one of her flowers behind my non-elven ear.

"You're still sort-of pretty, even if you're not an elf," she said before scurrying away with the other children.

It was somewhat backhanded but I'd take it.

I started pushing myself off the ground when I felt a strong hand take my arm.

"Allow me," a man said, helping me to my feet.

I stood straight and looked into the face of one of those handsome Rohirrim I hadn't noticed before. I had seen him several times at the stables. His name was Utmund if I remembered correctly.

"Thank you, Utmund," I said, hoping that was his name.

"It was no trouble," Utmund said. He was very fair with light blue eyes and a boyish face – and very good looking. "I wondered if you might join me in a dance."

"Oh, uh….well, I was just about to –"

"What a delightful idea!" Eowyn broke in. "Molly would be honored."

Eowyn leaned in close behind me. "Be bold!" she said, only loud enough for me to hear, before giving me a hard shove toward Utmund.

Honestly, I would have a bruise. Eowyn had the strength of ten horses.

I gave Utmund an awkward smile before I let him lead me toward the other dancers.

Let's just say that the dance of the horse lords was nothing as complicated as Riverdance but there was a lot of prancing going on and my feet were off the ground more than on it. Partners changed often and I found myself being swung around by more than one set of arms.

During another change in music I noticed that the women and men were suddenly separated. We moved so fast I almost ended up in the men's line but some helpful hands guided me into the correct position. The two lines began to merge again and that's when I saw that the women would kiss the man she reconnected with. It was also then that I noticed Eomer in the other line. I was suddenly consumed with nervous energy. What if Eomer ended up in front of me? I was filled with both terror and anticipation. I shouldn't have drunk that last bit of ale, I silently cursed myself. I believed it had now started to affect me.

The line had moved so fast that when I looked up I was already at the end and staring into the face of –

Grimbold.

Honestly, the look on his face was priceless, I couldn't help a laugh. It felt good, maybe even a relief. His, at first, distressed face also softened and we both shared a chuckle before I quickly gave him a peck on the cheek. The craggy man even managed to blush.

When the music finally stopped and the room stopped spinning I looked up to meet the familiar hazel eyes of Eomer. His expression matched mine and he seemed as surprised to find me in his arms as I was to be in them.

"Eomer!" I squeaked, feeling his rather large hands resting on my waist.

It was then that a drunken Rohirrim bumped into us. Our feet tangled and the next thing I knew Eomer was falling to the ground, pulling me right along with him.

We fell beside a table and as the music started no one even noticed us on the floor. That or it was common occurrence that two people should just impulsively fall to the ground, which given the amount of ale this group consumed might have been the case.

When my mind started working again I realized the position we were in. I lay on top of Eomer, my hands rested on his firm chest, his arms closed around me in an embrace, our bodies completely pressed together. My face, no, my entire body went red.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I scrambled to get up but Eomer's grip tightened on my waist and stilled me.

"Move with care," he rasped in my ear.

I froze then thinking perhaps I had paralyzed him or something. "Are you hurt?" I asked, suddenly worried for him. What would Rohan do without Eomer? Would I be expected to take care of him?

My heart thudded in my chest but before I could go into full panic mode a set of feet planted themselves next to our heads.

"I must say, I'm beginning to think this to be your preferred position when together," a voice, laced with amusement, said above us.

I craned my head up to see Theodred, a smirk on his face.

"Theodred! Help Eomer, he's hurt," I said, rolling off.

"I am uninjured." I heard Eomer argue, though he sounded a little distressed.

Theodred helped me stand and then helped Eomer. I noticed Eomer put his hand to his upper thigh close to his groin. My face reddened as I realized the source of his pain. I must have kneed him in a sensitive spot when we fell.

Eomer allowed Theodred to help him up but then, immediately, stepped away. "I am fine," he insisted.

Mortified, I stood there with Theodred and watched as Eomer limped off, disappearing into the crowd.

I was never going to get on his good side.

Theodred put his hand on my shoulder and I looked at him. "I believe injury of pride is all that Eomer suffers from," he said, teasingly.

I am sure my face reddened even more with embarrassment. This whole thing wouldn't have happened if Eowyn had just left me alone to appreciate Eomer from afar.

Speaking of, it was then I realized Eowyn wasn't around to console me after my embarrassing display of grace.

Theodred had walked off to rejoin the party before I could ask. So I scanned the room until finally I saw them in the back of the hall. Eowyn was partially blocked by a mass of black which I instantly recognized as Grima Wormtongue.

All thoughts of my encounter with Eomer were forgotten as I made my way toward them. An anxious feeling started to come over me as I remembered Grima's obsession with Eowyn in the stories. I called to mind a scene in the Golden Hall between Gandalf and Grima, or was it Eomer, I couldn't remember, I just knew some of his motivation in betraying Rohan was due to his unrequited love for Eowyn but so far she hadn't said anything disturbing about her interactions with him. Maybe I was jumping to conclusions, I told myself, but then I caught sight of Eowyn's face. I saw the unease in her eyes and it scared me for a moment.

His back to me, Grima didn't notice as I approached them, but Eowyn visibly relaxed when she saw me.

"Eowyn, there you are," I said, moving myself to stand between the two. I looked at Eowyn directly. "Eomer is looking for you." Out of the corner of my eye I saw my words had the desired effect as Grima stiffened.

"Yes, I did promise him a dance," Eowyn said with a shaky smile. "I'll go find him now." She nodded her head. "Grima. If you will excuse me."

I noticed Grima looking woefully after Eowyn as she joined the safety of the crowd. I let out a breath and then made to follow her.

Grima stepped in front of me. I smiled politely and moved to the side to continue.

He moved with me.

Again I moved to walk around him and again Grima moved to block my path.

The man was persistent if nothing else. There would be no escaping him it seemed.

"Hi Grima," I said, finally acknowledging him. My eyes met his and a chill crept over my skin at his closeness. The man really had no understanding of personal space.

For all my time in Edoras I really hadn't seen much of Grima Wormtongue. The man was constantly at Theoden's side and hardly ever left the Golden Hall. My thoughts on him were conflicted, however. I knew the story. I knew what he would do but so far I hadn't seen anything strange happening. There were times I wanted to mention something to Theodred, but what? I had no proof. Grima was in a powerful position as the king's advisor and people gave him a wide birth. I was just a stable hand and not even Eorlingas.

It was known that Grima was not well liked, but the reasons were superficial, he wasn't good looking, his voice was strange, he was too pale – he favored a lot of black. Maybe if they were nicer to him he wouldn't feel the need to help Saruman. Perhaps if I were nice to him, I thought.

No. He was just too damn creepy. He was that guy. The one you don't want to sit next to at the DMV.

We were about the same height, but only because he always stood hunched over, most likely from all the leaning he did while whispering in King Theoden's ear or maybe it was from all the pressure of Saruman's foot down on him, I shuddered at the thought.

Grima was not dissuaded by my lack of enthusiasm. "How do you enjoy the celebrations?" he asked.

"It's really something," I replied. When he looked at me questioningly, I clarified. "It's very nice."

Grima smiled back. Actually, it was more like a grimace the way his thin lips stretched across his yellowed teeth.

"We have not had a chance to speak," he said. "You are a good friend to Eowyn and dear to Theodred. Should we not know one another?"

I fought the instinct to run.

"Uh, sure, we can talk," I said, quieting the shouts in my mind telling me to get the hell out of there.

I had to remain more open. Maybe Grima and I could have a nice conversation. Maybe I would sway him to not betray Rohan.

Maybe pigs would fly.

"I am curious. We do not often trust outsiders, yet you find yourself in the company of our prince. You enjoy the comforts of a lady while laboring in the stables. And as demonstrated earlier, you are no elf," he stated.

I can't believe people actually thought I was an elf.

Grima's expression then turned dark, his mouth twisted. " But while you might have weaved a spell over some I believe you feign ignorance. I believe you to be cunning…"

Me cunning? I would have taken it as a compliment if it wasn't being spat out of Grima's mouth like a bad taste.

"It would be a mistake to think you a friend of Rohan."

He sounded….

"Who do you hope to influence?"

paranoid.

My throat suddenly went tight. It was plainly obvious he was not trying to be my friend. He thought I was competition. This was not how I saw this conversation going.

"You will tell me for I ensure the safety of the King," he seethed.

"For Rohan or for Sa-"

I froze. Had I said that out loud? I was internal dialoguing but the look of shock on Grima's face confirmed my worst fear. I had drunk way too much ale.

His eyebrows had shot up and suddenly his face was in mine, nose to nose. "Who are you?" he hissed, giving me a look of pure loathing. I didn't dare speak.

"Molly."

Grima and I turned to see Theodred standing nearby, his arms crossed over his chest looking very noble and commanding. I wanted to give him the biggest hug. He looked between the two of us then steadied his gaze on Grima. The pasty skinned advisor took a step back, cowed. Suddenly he didn't seem so intimidating, but that still didn't ease my mind.

"Grima. Are there concerns I am to be aware of?" Theodred said it lightly enough but there was no denying the warning in his stare.

Grima bowed his head. "No, my lord. Only a friendly discussion." He then turned to me and bowed slightly. "It seems I must take my leave."

Afraid to open my mouth I stood there and watched Grima walk away from us before turning down a dark corridor away from the festivities.

Theodred frowned. "Molly, it would be best that you not catch the attentions of Wormtongue," he said gravely.

No need to tell me twice. But, oh boy, did I get the feeling it was already too late.


End file.
